Strong Armed - Part 3 Cuckoo Verse
by Awatere11
Summary: Our little chick is going to be five soon ... he is so much older in his head but still so small. Also ... so strong. Ianto must teach his chickie to hide, sheild and be more human while fighting his own problems. If you've not read the first two sections, this will not make sense. Love my Crumbly cakes xxxxx
1. Chapter 1

1

Ianto was not sure about this but knew Jack was right, Heath needed to socialize with others. He just didn't think these kids would entertain Heath as much as he was about to entertain them.

"Ah Mister Harkness-Jones" the teacher was walking towards them with a smile that said that she knew what she was doing. She loked at the little one then around him like she expected something else to be there "We spoke on the phone. I'm Vanessa."

"This is Heath" Ianto said as he placed his hands on the shoulders of the little boy who barely came to his waist. She blinked, looked down at the child then at Ianto with open confusion so Ianto added "He is small for his age. Don't worry, I was too. Look at me now."

"Ah … I see. How old is he again?"

"Four and a half."

She blinked, and then frowned "Mister Harkness-Jones. You do realize these children at this after school centre is for children between the ages of seven and ten?"

"Yes, don't worry. He has books and things with him in case he gets bored. He is just looking for friends, he understands that the learning side will be too …. Childish for him."

She blinked slowly.

"Heath is about the mental learning age of a twelve or thirteen year old" Ianto explained patiently "So be warned. He will retreat if he feels ignored and will also correct spelling mistakes on the board. He is currently reading a book of poetry, is fascinated with poems, song lyrics …loves singing actually. If you have anything music related he will be hooked." Ianto smiled "He's a bit of a progeny. Why he doesn't go to a regular school or anything … too advanced and it makes him strange to other little ones his age. We tried. They shunned him for being too clever."

"Oh" she knelt to address the child in question "Hello Heath. I am Vanessa. I will be looking after you until your Daddy comes back for you in a few hours."

Heath regarded her then spoke with a soft musical voice as he pointed up at Ianto "He's my Taddy. Daddy is at work and will not be back until late tonight. He has a meeting with people called 'The Tossers' that he doesn't really like very much."

Ianto blushed "HEATH!"

She found herself giggling as she winked at the little one and rose, now seeing that he was indeed extremely advanced for his age "Not a problem. Would you like to stay for a while?"

"Best not. Rip off the Band-Aid, go cry in my car like a baby" Ianto said and Heath looked up at him so he said "Not literally love. I will be sad without you but happy to know you are doing something different. I will soon be back for cuddles and a report on the day. I expect some good visuals. It is 3pm … I will be back at five thirty. That is …"

"Two and a half. I am wasting time. Perhaps I should go then" Heath nodded, walking confidently into the room full of kids and Ianto let his breath out slowly as he looked at the teacher.

"Good luck, he is … well. I hope this works" Ianto sighed.

.

.

.

.

"You dropped him off?"

"Yes Owen. He went in happily without even a backward glance" Ianto said as he pulled into traffic, the Bluetooth in his ear full of noise as Owen laughed at him for the sorrowful tone. "I know. I should be happy he is interested. God. I wish there were something other than his pets and music that held his interest."

"Well ... he loved that weasel thing. Finding it dead broke his heart. Maybe a ferret?" Owen suggested "Shit, they're here."

Ianto slowed the car as he considered.

Ronnie Weasel had been found by Russ whose howls brought them all running to see the poor dead pet still curled as if asleep in the socks left to be folded. Owen said it could have been his little heart, anything really but Ianto had been sure it was the rat bait laid next door, the little man having got out the day before and missing for a few hours before finding his way home.

Russ the Terror … ah terrier and Lucy the regal setter were well loved by the little boy but that silly thing had been a special pet. Maybe. Or a rabbit? He pondered this as he sat at the lights.

"Good thinking Owen. I will swing by the pet hop and see what is available then if there are options I will take him later on to choose for himself. He chose Ronnie after all" Ianto said as the light changed and he checked before starting off.

"Right-o" Owen said and then snorted "I bet when you pick him up there will be a tired teacher."

"She seemed quite nice. I hope he's not too hard on her" Ianto sighed as he turned for the Hub, "There in about five minutes. Make sure Bessie is on at the wall if you want me to fire her up for you."

"Coffee!" Owen crowed then muffled noises and Owen yelping "Sorry love"

"That Tosh?"

"Yeah, munchkin is kicking" Owen was excited now, the impending birth of their first child a wondrous thing for him even is Toshiko was SOOOO bloody over it already.

Ianto smiled as he knew he would make a single shot for her too.

She was allowed one a day.

Doctor's orders.

Lest she kill him.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Ianto entered the Hub and glanced up at the meeting room, someone leaning back against the glass wall which annoyed him no end. A bum shaped mark might be left … bloody UNIT. He frowned as he headed to the kitchen and checked that the coffee machine was indeed turned on and Owen was waiting in there with a sneaky look on his face.

Ianto looked at him with mild interest then began tamping the coffee.

"Cybernetics" Owen hissed "The woman. She's something in cybernetics."

Ianto turned to look at him "You sure?"

"Read some of her work while trying to help you. She's close, a bit off but …close. Thinks she knows everything, coming in here and demanding my research in the subject like I would hand it over without a fuss. Think I will take some blank pages to the loo and wipe my arse with them, then put them in a nice little envelope for her." Owen harrumphed "She might look like her shit don't stink. Mine does."

"You are so naughty. No wonder Heath has a cheeky streak to him" Ianto snorted softly, sliding a huge mug to Owen that took two hands for him to lift with a groan of delight.

Ianto walked out into the main Hub, a small mug for Toshiko that had her almost weeping with relief and then he headed up to nod to Andy who gratefully slid from the chair to hand it over to him while whispering that Rhys would be another hour at least with the Second Hand Shop purchases thy had found online overnight.

Ianto rook the seat and settled to listen to the waffling as Andy gratefully left the room. It was boring. So boring and Ianto let his eyes wander around the table as the voices washed over him, letting them settle on a small metal box sitting near the woman who was trying hard to look professional down to the horn-rimmed glasses and severe hair bun.

He looked at her for a few beats, then let his eyes move back to the box. A small thing similar to a calculator with a little screen and multiple buttons. He then looked at her again and found her staring back at him.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Haversham" she said as she stretched out her hand.

Ianto felt a strange amusement as he reached out his own, the exo-gloved skin so lifelike that she didn't register the fact she was shaking a cybernetic hand. Some bloody expert.

"Ianto Harkness-Jones."

"Oh. Any relation to the Captain here?"

"Yes"

Silence as everyone looked at him, this one syllable answer a surprise as they waited for him to explain but instead he pointed at the little box that was intriguing him "Did Toshiko look at that?"

"No. It never leaves my side" she replied haughtily, "It's my only defense against the coming cyber war."

"Cyber war?" Jack was interested now, leaning forward to gain her attention "Care to explain that?"

"I believe cybernetics exist here in this space and time. I believe they are amongst us and this is my only defense" she said as she tapped the box "It is of my own design. It detects and eliminates any Cyber tech in a seven mile radius."

Ianto blinked slowly as he tried to stay calm, Jack …. Not.

"First off, that is in convention of our formal agreement. Nothing …nothing comes into my facility without my knowledge and permission, my Tech Specialist Doctor Sato is supposed to know what it is, examine it and either OK or deny it's entrance." Jack snarled as he rose from his chair to loom over her "If you dare…DARE… turn it on I will shoot it …then shoot you!"

"Oh, it's OK." She laughed in a silly childish way as she glanced around the table "It's already on. Always is. 24 hours a day. As I said, it's my only defense."

Jack gaped at her as Ianto cleared his throat and then using both his hands, he straightened his papers then lifted his cup of coffee, showing Jack that his arm was in no way incapacitated, nor was he alarmed.

She was clearly a Kook.

Jack sucked his cheeks in and leaned back, looking at the box some more than said sweetly "Explain how it works, would you?"

She began a diatribe on the Cyber spectrum and the necessity for safety then pushed buttons and gushed over the thing as Ianto continued to ignore her then he reached out his hand "May I?"

"Oh course" she dropped it into the outstretched hand and Jack flinched as he watched Ianto examine it, the cybernetic hand closing around it.

"And you would stake your life on this?" Ianto asked, looking around the table "Each and every person here would lay down their life in defense of this Cyber Killer Tech?"

Heads nodded and Ianto cleared his throat, amusement now showing as he leaned back "Well. You all need to learn some manners, some basic tech skills and above all, you need to learn who works here. Her Majesty has cleared our personnel files for your perusal along with her royal seal of protection. Had you all done your jobs you would have know who I was the moment another staff member moved to allow me the chair to the right of the Captain. Let alone my name in relation to Cyber Tech."

Ianto then calmly crushed the box in his hand, the sound surprisingly quiet like paper being balled up.

He dropped it on the table and then reached out to pull the skin-glove off, revealing his Cyber hand.

He tapped the glass table top with his fingers as he settled back and eyeballed her.

"Well then" Jack said calmly "Guess you are all dead meat then."


	3. Chapter 3

3

Ianto was watching them all splutter and roar, the woman … Haversham simply running from the room like he was about to scalp her or something.

When the phone in his pocket started to vibrate and he rose calmly "Excuse me. It's our son's school."

Ianto then turned to face Jack as he looked at the text message "Sorry Cariad, have to go. Our son has locked himself in the classroom with a number of children in what appears to be a protest over the juice boxes."

"Oh for Godsake" Jack sighed, waving his hand as he said to one of the stupefied UNIT bigwigs "Little bugger reads all the content things on the side of the packets. He clearly found one with too much sugar or something."

"How…how old is he?"

"Five in a few months" Jack said happily "Sooooo cheeky."

"And … can read all the nutritional information?" another asked.

"Oh, I caught him reading some book on metaphysics Tosh left lying around. Even I get a headache with that and I had to learn that about a hundred and thirty odd years ago" Jack laughed as he rose to follow Ianto, the room silent and still as statues while the words lingered.

"You lot REALLY need to read shit" Owen said in the doorway as he looked at them with open glee, unable to resist watching Ianto at work "Well? You can all leave now, clearly the Captain has ended this."

.

.

.

"Heath, I understand your anger but I do not think a sit in was the correct course of action" Ianto said as he helped his son out of his jersey, the angry little face that appeared as the head popped out of the woolen jumper showing that Heath thought there could have been no other possible course of action.

"It was not even real meat!" his little voice snarled with indignation "I think it was horse."

"Now … OK. I can't argue with you there" Jack grimaced "It looked gross."

Ianto knew he would not win the argument now, the little chick defiantly raising his chin to match his father. Jack realized a beat too late that he had given the chick the high ground and could only shrug.

"Well … if you are going to be suspended before we even get you into school for real … I don't know what we will do with you" Ianto leaned back against the sofa, letting the red setter sit on his legs. "I do know one thing though and your dogs will not like you for it."

"What?" Heath asked, his foot half way into the slipper Jack was holding for him, the little child gripping his shoulder for stability.

"There can be no weekend at the cabin now." Ianto sighed, both of his men gasping with horror as they saw that he meant it, Heath howling with anger.

"Aw, come on" Jack whined "Owen and Tosh are coming out so me and Owen can try out the new quad bike!"

"New Quad bike?" Heath gasped, "you kept that quiet!"

"Was supposed to be a secret surprise" Jack replied as he wrestled the second slipper onto his son's foot "We were going to have a weekend of fun and racing about. Damn it."

Heath stared at Jack with his face morphing from horror to despair, turning to wail at Ianto with huge tears rolling down his face "Ahhhhhhh Taddddaaaaaaaaa"

Ianto rose and started peeling potatoes as he looked out the window at the bird bath.

"PLEEEASSSSSEEEEE"

Jack groaned as Heath now slid to the floor, starfishing as he roared and tantrumed. Ianto knew he was gonna cave and gave him the warning glare that had him moving to the other room with the excuse that he needed to check the fire.

Ianto returned his gaze to the naughty little beast who had stopped his tantrum to take a breath.

"Keep it up, just keep going and you might find yourself missing two weekends there" Ianto warned and Heath was suddenly still.

Ianto entered the living room and was about to settle in his chair when Heath entered, his eyes roving about and he walked over to the fire Jack had lit, was still kneeling at and picked up a glass globe from the mantle, looking Ianto in the eye as he threw it into the flames.

Ianto shot to his feet with horror as a picture frame joined it.

"JACK!"

Jack reacted as a tiny little pink My Little Pony was in the child's hand now "Heath! Don't you dare. That has sentimental .."

Heath threw it.

Jack snapped his hand into the flames, crying out with pain as he was burned, pulling out the pony to check it even as his hand blistered.

"Oh Cariad, your hand" Ianto gasped, kneeling to inspect it, then sighing as the misshapen pony fell to the floor. "It's done. Ruined."

"No… our first romantic meal" Jack said softly "Our first real date night."

"Not our last" Ianto said sadly as he picked up the damaged toy, "We still have the memory this invited."

Jack nodded, then looked past Ianto at the horrified child who was still watching his father's hand continue to blister "Heath. Bed. Now!"

In.

Deep.

Dada.

Shit.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Heath had spent the night in silent rage, angry that they had carried on about a little plastic toy, angry that his Tadda had taken his weekend fun away and especially mad that his Tad had closed his mind to him.

Deep down he knew his Taddy had closed the bond as his anger was setting them both off, not wanting his chick to feel the waves of anger and sorrow coming off him. Especially as Heath clearly did not understand the reason for such anger.

"Heath is not a child" Ianto said for the tenth time at least within the hour of their hissed argument in the bedroom "He is a Chickie. Chameleon Bavara, a cuckoo. Christ Jack, we have to be strong here. He is at the stage of … well … testing us. We cannot cave, we must be united. For all his childlike qualities, and I do accept he is still a baby, he is clever as all hell. Could take Owen in a test of wills and snark. You know that!"

"You don't think it is a knee-jerk reaction to him disobeying you?" Jack asked smugly "For all his naughtiness with others, he never disobeys you. Just then. In there. He literally pissed in your rules!"

Ianto leaned back "so … you condone it?"

"I'm not saying that. Maybe if you had talked to him like a person insisted of a baby …" Jack snarled, his back rising and Ianto realized Heath was still there, in the bond listening through Jack and trying his best to stir things up.

"Jack. Do you love me?"

"Yes"

"Why are you speaking to me in that tone?"

Jack blinked, frowning as he stated at him, then he said softly "Little shit. Is he influencing me?"

"Trying, but you are stronger than him. Too clever for that" Ianto soothed as Jack nodded, closing his side of the bond as well and a little thump in the next room told them their son was starfishing on the floor with rage again.

"Damn it. We have that delegation of Ferkons and you know how Owen is around them … sniggering while muttering about Ferking this and that." Jack sighed "You can't find him a sitter?"

"Jack … anyone we ask to watch him will be around his little finger within moments. He is too young to trust. He has to learn to hone his skills and clamp them down. He has to stop using them, he is going to hurt someone." Ianto flopped onto the bed as he saw that Jack did not understand at all "Cariad. He could really hurt someone. He needs to know his powers, their reach and their damage."

"I know" Jack sighed "But he is still a little one."

"I know. Why we must be calm but firm" Ianto smiled leaning over to kiss him.

.

.

.

.

Ianto had watched Jack leave and turned to find Heath there with his jacket in his hand, a look of horror as he saw that he was staying at home.

"What. You thought you were going to the Hub for the day? I bet you did. Think again" Ianto said calmly "You are grounded. As in … stuck. Unfortunately it means I am too. We are staying here, home."

Heath's eyes widened "But … the Ferckers …."

"HEATH!" Ianto barked "Your Uncle Owen is gonna get such a smack … no. No. We are staying here."

Heath gaped at him and stomped off, Ianto rubbing his head as he went through to find something for the angry chick to kill … ah …. Do.

After a sullen lunch Ianto decided to let Heath have the DVDs he had asked for all morning, a small concession when he had not actually banned them in the first place so … OK. Making sure Heath was settled he went into the bedroom to power down for a while, his head now pounding from the stress of the last couple of days.

Swinging his legs up onto the bed he sighed softly, uncoupling the arm to place it beside the bed, plugging it in and then rolling into Jack's pillow to breathe him in and let his mind settle. He was soon asleep.

.

.

.

.

Ianto woke and yawned, feeling so much better and he rolled to sit up, yawning and stretching his arm up, the stump moving as well. It still felt weird, like the arm was still there reaching for the heavens like it's mate and Ianto let his hand rest on his knee as he rolled his head, letting his muscles settle then he reached out for his arm to reconnect it, hoping it was fully charged.

The arm that was not there.

"HEATH!"


	5. Chapter 5

5

Jack entered the house, clinking his keys as he called out happily, careful to check the dogs had heard him so he did not upset the red setter who was now a senior girl with little patience for sudden voices.

He listened for a return call from either of his boys but the silence was unnerving.

"Hey Lucy, where are they?" he asked as a red head appeared around a door frame and she rolled her eyes while making a doggy groan of annoyance then she disappeared again. Jack followed her into the room and found his son sitting silently at the dinner table, his arms crossed and his mouth a thin line.

"Hey chick-a-boo" Jack leaned over to kiss his son's forehead "Where's that Tadda of yours? Hmmmm?"

Heath glared the force of several suns at him, then back to the empty plate. Jack checked the time. He was slightly late, but not much. "Sorry munchkin, work was chaos. I'll go see what's happening."

Jack walked to the kitchen but it was devoid of life. No food prep, no smells. No Ianto. Jack was getting slightly unnerved as he headed through the house, calling out until he heard a faint reply, heading to the basement where he found Ianto pulling boxes about with anger.

"Tiger?"

"Good of you to join us. Not picking up your messages again?" Ianto's' tone warned him that this was dangerous territory, that and the lack of ANY bond at all. Both his boys were locked.

"A Humpergoat ate my phone" Jack grinned "Should have seen the size of it, Rhys almost…"

"That's nice" Ianto said with syrupy sweetness as he opened another box and Jack canted his head.

"Tea. Ah … takeout love? Want me to order something?"

Ianto stopped searching and turned to face him, his cheek smeared with soot. Soot? Jack blinked "Babe? You been up the chimney?"

Ianto took a breath though his nose. Loud and angry. Were he a dragon Jack would fear a good flaming about now. Jack finally noted the lack of arm and pointed as if Ianto may not know which one he was referring to "Where's your arm?"

"Ask the terrorist"

Ah. Ok, worse that he had thought. "He took it?"

"He has declared war" Ianto's voice and face were serene, setting off all sorts of alarms for Jack who knew this was a moment of impasse that might end in their son receiving his first smacking. Something that Ianto would be physically sick about if it happened, his fear of being his Da, of abusing instead of controlling. Ianto's' deepest fear was striking his child. In this moment, here in the semi-dark Jack saw the warning of it. Ianto was losing control.

"Well, I am a Captain. I outrank him" Jack said as he reached out to place his hands on Ianto's face, cupping his cheeks as he looked into his eyes, seeing something flare in there "you OK?"

"Minimal power. I keep getting notifications to power down. I was on low before I uncoupled for my power nap. Little shit … I am about to shut down" Ianto sighed "He doesn't understand what it really is. Death. He has no concept."

Jack felt the fear twist in his gut as Ianto calmly told him he was not just low. That flash had been a systems alert. Ianto was in trouble.

Jack released Ianto …after a kiss … storming upstairs to find Heath still at the table with a look of defiance. Jack came to stand in front of him "Where is it?"

"He gets it back when I get my weekend back!" Heath said calmly.

"Tad needs his arm. His cybertech has to …"

"He has told me this" Heath sniffed "He's had it off for longer before. It's a bluff."

"A bluff" Jack repeated.

"A rouse." Heath said like Jack had not understood him, Jack's face changing as he leant over the table.

"Listen here you ungrateful little shit. Your Tad plugged it in to charge because he was low. He woke thinking he could re-couple and continue as he always does. You have taken his life-source. Do you realize that? It's not just an appendage. Not just a fucking toy. It's his hardware for his very soul. His heart beats because it gives the cybertech the strength to send impulses. He breathes because the cybertech reminds his damaged brain it's supposed to be doing that. Without his arm he will die. Do you understand? YOU WILL KILL HIM!"

Heath stared at Jack, and then frowned "Don't believe you."

Jack gaped.

"Jack"

Jack turned to find Ianto in the doorway "I am going to the bedroom to power down, I am about to enter reserves. If he… well. It's OK. He will not budge. I will not budge. Punishment cannot be withdrawn out of fear. He made this choice. Just as I live with mine. My Mama is gone because of me. Maybe … maybe it made me the man I am and my loss will … I don't know."

Ianto walked sedately to the bedroom and Jack turned to see Heath's face full of horror and confusion. Ianto had opened the bond while talking of his mother, giving Heath the image of her death and his feelings in that moment as she died for him.

Wow.

Jack really didn't think he had it in him. Ianto had always hidden that from their child, never wanting him to know the loss. It had hit Heath full force as he sat with his mouth open staring at the doorway.

"So." Jack said softly "It's up to you. But if I lose him because you are just a child, proving me right … who is it I cannot forgive. Him for thinking you more than that? Me for being right? I will forgive you, he asks that of me but … will you forgive yourself? Did it feel like he forgave himself for his mother's death?"

Heath looked at Jack, then slid from the chair and walked to the dog's bed, pulling the arm out from under the sleeping Russ' bedding, handing it to Jack who shook his head "No. I think you have to give it back, don't you?"

Heath sighed as he began the long walk.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Ianto appeared as if asleep but Jack knew better, standing back as his child reached out to tentatively touch Ianto's skin. Like touching cold latex. Heath looked at Jack with open fear.

"He's shut down. The blood is pooling, his brain in standby and no doubt in emergency mode. Soon it will shut down as well. Then … we can't reach him. Last time he completely shut down Tosh had to reboot him against his will. This time … he might not come back" Jack explained "You are killing him."

Heath tried to reattach the arm, sobbing now as he watched it slide about, not connecting. Jack sighed "There is no power love. You have to create some sort of …"

Heath placed his hand over the stump and it jerked, the arm snapping in as Ianto gasped to life, sitting up to look at Heath with surprise "Heath? Did you just zap me?"

"Just a little Tadda"

"Well … thank you son" Ianto smiled, "Thank you."

"I'm sorry Taddy, I don't want you to die" Heath said in a small voice.

"Heath … I understand your anger, annoyance and even confusion" Ianto said as he stood and let the power surge through him "But if you want to grow to be a man you must learn that sometimes holding back, accepting small losses means the difference between defeat and victory."

"Yes Tad"

"Now. Call out for tea or … we might go out?" Ianto suggested, Jack knowing this was a lesson as well as he glanced at their son.

"Heath?"

"Grounded" Heath agreed sadly "But pizza delivered?"

"Good boy" Ianto smiled, sitting heavily on the bed again and Jack grabbed for him with shock "It's OK Cariad. It's OK. Not fully charged and it took a lot to bring me up to full capacity. I need some charging."

"You lay there, charge and me and Heath will sort things" Jack said calmly "come on son. Let's get the phone number for a start then you can set the table while I do some salad."

"Salad" Ianto groaned.

"Don't' start that again mister" Jack fake scolded, leaning over to kiss him then leaving him to lay back and plug in.

Heath followed his father and they ordered the food, then Jack watched Heath pull out the chairs so he could reach to place the placemats and cutlery. Yes, he used a knife and fork for his pizza. Cute.

When the pizza arrived Ianto came into the dining area in a soft shirt that covered his arm, the cuffs hanging low. Heath saw this and knew somewhere deep in his gut his Tad was uncomfortable. He had made his Tad think about his arm as a thing, a separate thing. He had reminded him that it was not just an arm. It was a life source.

He felt sooo low.

..

.

.

Ianto rolled in his sleep, pulling the child closer as Heath slipped into the bed and laid his face against the shoulder that gave him so much and a soft sigh had them deeply asleep within moments. Jack lay and waited before reaching over Ianto to get what the child had left the bed for.

It had taken him over half an hour out there in the other room and Jack knew he was freezing as he cuddled into his Taddy, the furnace heat soothing as he found sleep finally. He seemed to have let go of his worries over what he had done with the arm and as Jack sat back to open the handmade card he grinned.

The little boy in the picture stood with arms out like a body builder flexing, one arm was silver.

WHEN I GROW UP I WILL BE LIKE MY TADDY – A SUPER HERO

Jack stared for a long time as he let his love and delight flow through the shared bond, then he rolled to place it back by Ianto's pillow for the morning when he knew Ianto would coo and gush, then place it on the fridge.

Heath had learned a valuable lesson and as he lay there half asleep feeling the love of his parentals he knew the fear of losing his Tad was the worst fear in the world and the pain of losing him might kill him like it nearly killed Taddy all those years ago. Ianto had also shown him something else in that moment, whether he meant to or not Heath saw what Ianto did. He saw the anger, the grief. And the revenge.

Heath lay wondering what it would feel like, to kill someone and he found he didn't really want to find out. Not if Taddy hid that feeling so well, it must not be a good one as Taddy never lies and always shows unless it is something really bad.

Heath finally slipped into a deep sleep as he vowed to protect his Taddy.

He needs him.

Daddy does too, they all do.

Taddy is life.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Ianto and Heath walked into the principal's office and waited patiently for him to look up, then rise to greet them. After a polite handshake Ianto turned to Heath.

"I am sorry for being a brat" Heath said softly "I wanted to do something fun. I was bored and Tadda sez I should have just asked for a run around the field or something to get it out of my system instead of roping other kids in. I didn't mean to be bad, my brain was just so annoyed."

"I see" the man nodded "So … going forward what do you think we should do young man?"

"If I start to feel naughty I should put my hand up, then ask for a break to go outside and run or something until my brain stops then I can come back in. I will have finished my school work, it is all so boring and easy … you see … I get bored." Heath's little voce was medic and his eyes wide as he confided in the man who seemed to be listening to him. Finally.

"I see. Well, I think that is a good idea. Actually … we are considering introducing some school pets. A couple of rabbits in a hutch. Got the kitset hutch already, once it's built we will purchase some rabbits and go from there" Mister James smiled "Maybe you could help with those. Your pictures and stories are always about animals."

Heath lit up as he turned to his Tad "See? Rabbits! Oh wow, I told you school could be fun if I had something to do. Rabbits. Wow. Yes. Oh… we can have a competition to name them … oh. If they breed we can have class ones and stuff. Right?"

"Steady on, you do not even have them yet." Ianto laughed "Already got them wed and knocked-up like a Mother-in-law from hell!"

As Ianto watched Heath enter his classroom to take his seat with a wide grin Mister James turned to address him "I am sorry. I see it now; he is a… delicate little man. So intelligent. The rabbits were a good idea."

"Thank you for listening to it and agreeing. He loves the idea. We cannot have any at home, the red setter is mad and would try to dig them out for a washing or something. Here all the kids can learn and grow. Animals teach so many things." Ianto nodded "Empathy is a big one."

"Our groundskeeper is going to put the hutch together with a small working group of kids, he is making sure young Heath is top of the list as well as a few others we have noted he likes to play with. He does not make friends easily and those he does chose to sit with are an eclectic bunch."

"He does not judge like we do" Ianto nodded "He sees souls."

"Yes. Apt. Yes, he does. All the children are good souls" the man blinked as he saw the right wording being applied and saw where the little boy's intelligence came from as Ianto turned to face him, those eyes dreamy and something you could lose yourself in if…wow. Mister James blinked and smiled softly, shocked at himself for the rush of interest here. He was straight. Married. Yet for a moment … there was affection there between them.

Ianto cursed himself for not shielding better, reaching gout to touch the arm of the man he liked as their son's educator "Your wife … she is a teacher too?"

"No, god no. She works downtown at some legal practice. She's a legal secretary. Typing and such. She tells me it's boring but sometimes a case comes past that really interests her" he found himself talking with Ianto, a comfortable feeling with him like they were old friends and he wondered why he had never noticed this man's magnetism before. He was lonely here. As the head, the others were slightly afraid of him and he didn't know if they liked him or were pretending to out of fear of job loss or something. This man was a parent, no vested interest but was smiling and talking like they had something in common.

"Well, I best shoot off to work or my other half will have coffee withdrawals and shoot someone" Ianto huffed, Mister James curious.

"What exactly do you do?"

"Secret service" Ianto said with a tap of a finger to his nose "I am a secretary like your wife. Mostly typing and stuff, reading interesting things. My husband is a Captain. Mostly he shouts down a phone and spits. Then yells for coffee and pouts."

They laughed as they stopped at the doors to part ways and the handshake was warm. Mister James watched the handsome man leave and decided to keep an eye on the little boy. He was a good egg.

Ianto sat in the SUV and wondered if that had been fair. Using his gift like that but then … it was his chick after all and he now knew Heath would be OK.

He merged into the traffic.

Jack already on coms wanting that coffee.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Ianto was humming as he walked, tapping his finger on the side of his leg in time to the music in his head. He had woken in one of those rare moods where the light was perfect, the colours popping and everywhere there were smiling people. Of course… he might have projected happiness around him and people were subconsciously reacting back but who knows. He was content as he walked around the store, filling his basket and as he paid an old lady turned to him and smiled softly "Moonlight Serenade. That was the song my husband and I danced to."

"It is mine too" Ianto relied gently, "He sings the words in my ear so no one else on the dance floor can hear it, our little secret. Most do not even know there are words."

She gasped as he started to sing for her, his voice rising as other shoppers paused to turn and listen to the ethereal voice that seemed to fill their spaces. Upon finishing he took the old lady's hand and kissed it in a gentlemanly way, the tears shining in her eyes worth the moment of silliness.

The walk to the SUV was light, a good deed done and something shared. Nice. The opened the back of the SUV and placed the bags in, his arm swinging the weight without much problem and then he clambered in and headed to the school to wait for the bell that released his little world back to him.

Still the humming continued, his mind in a good space.

He found his usual parking space available and again knew it was a good day, settling to check his watch … not that he needed to, he was never more than thirty seconds off for this time of day… then he touched his coms "Owen? I was just pondering dinner tomorrow. Would you like me to do a stew tonight and bring it in for a change tomorrow? Stew on toast or something? We have so much take away."

"Oh yeah!" Owen gushed, then went into a talk about the thing he was dissecting, one he had never seen and the autonomy of it intrigued him. Ianto slid from the SUV and walked towards the school gates as he listened to Owen and as he reached out to touch them he felt something, turning as two men came from behind.

"Owen" he said softly as he watched everything in slow motion "I'm pinched."

As the tazers hit the last thing he heard was not his music but Owen's roar of horror as he listened to Ianto's grunt of shock and pain, the bolts surging through him blowing the coms form his ear and he fell to the ground convulsing.

.

.

.

.

.

Ianto woke in a sterile room, strapped to a table.

The first thing he noted was his arm was gone. He had no idea where he was or how long he had been there. His internal systems were raging, the power surge costing them as they fought with the nanites to fix the corruption it had caused.

Haversham.

She entered flanked by the two men who had snatched him at the school gates and he looked at her with silent anger, knowing she would pay for this in a way she would not comprehend. Were his synapses firing correctly he would have already done something to her, promise to his mama or not but he was too discombobulated to focus his energy on her, the loss of his arm also a worry as she stood with her arms folded looking at him.

"How does it work?"

"What?" he frowned, blinking against the bright lights as his migraine became full blown, the nanites now slamming against his skull "What?"

"The arm. Three men and none of them can get it to connect." She hissed. Ianto felt dread as he tried to focus on her. Three. The arm has a failsafe. Oh gods. It would have killed them, it would have severely and nastily punished them for trying. It was messy, he could see that now with her fists as her sides, the blood on the cuffs no doubt from the poor unfortunates who took part in her trial of death. Wait, how long had he been out? Drugged?

"It only works for me" he croaked out, "It is designed specifically for its user. Without the correct couplings, it will not recognise its home."

"Thought so" another said, the man looking at her with open annoyance "See? Told you we need him intact."

"What….what…" Ianto's eyes were adjusting and he now saw an IV attached to his good arm, "what's that?"

He tried to focus on the clear liquid quietly dripping away and knew form the feeling of his arm it was nothing good, the cybernetics in his brain were not working as they should, she was drugging him and making things ten times worse as the nanites fought on.

"Oh god, what are you doing?"

"If he will not be compliant, make him" she said as she turned to leave, Ianto turning his head to watch her as she hesitated at the door and said to the man in the white coat "Use the boy if you have to."

Oh god.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Ianto was in a chair now, strapped across his chest with the bloody IV still there, making his brain mushy. Like … squishy and fluffled. He tried to concentrate but could barely move let alone fight. Then the worst moment in his life. He thought his mama's death was it but no … Heath.

His beautiful, sweet chickie was led in by the prick in the white coat, the child's face full of fear and confusion as he clutched at a toy thy must have given him to keep him quiet. Ianto knew they had used him as the incentive to behave. Heath's relief at seeing him alive testimony to the fact he had been snatched at the school as well, saw his Taddy unconscious in the van. Knew they were in deep shit. But did they?

He had not reacted. He had shown the ability to be calm, remembered his Taddy's words not to react without knowing the story and now he stood looking at his drugged father who was barely able to raise his head, his arm gone and drool coming out the side of his mouth.

He saw what he needed to see.

Knew what he needed to know.

Tadda was still alive. But maybe not for long. He needed his arm. Heath knew this, of course he did as he had learnt this not so long ago. His Tadda needed the arm and without it he would remain like this until he ran out of time.

"Where is Tadda's arm?" he asked sweetly and Haversham knelt to stroke the flop of hair so like Jack's off his forehead.

"It doesn't matter sprout. You just sit over here where your father can see you and maybe we can get something happening, OK?" she said with syrupy sweetness.

Heath blinked, the frown not appearing even as he wanted to show her his annoyance at being spoken to like a baby, instead he turned to the one in the white coat the man who he knew was called Dex. "Dex? Where is the arm?"

"Over there" he pointed and Haversham rose to frown at Dex. What the hell?

"OK" Heath said with a childlike smile, the toy in his hand clasped against his chest "He looks weird without it. Can he have it back?"

"Sure" Dex turned to walk to the box and she stepped in his way with annoyance.

"What the fuck are you doing?" she snarled.

"He needs his arm on his dad" the man said stupidly "It's a rule."

She looked at him "What the hell are you talking about? Rule? What?"

Heath swung his feet in the chair as he made eye contact with his Taddy and he saw something in there, an acceptance and Ianto nodded to show he knew what was happening next, Heath sliding from the chair to walk over while everyone was at the box. He reached his Taddy and placed his hand on the stump, the power surge instantly making Ianto jolt in the chair as he took a deep intake of breath. The nanites froze, assembled and rerouted, a fresh attack on the blood stream now they had orders as Heath stepped around his Taddy and turned off the IV. Of course he knew how to do this. He helped his uncle Owie all the time, knew how things worked.

"Hey, get away from there" a guard said as he reached out and seized Heath's arm, dragging him away from Ianto as the two doctors spun from the box and ran to secure the child. Ianto let his body have a moment as Heath wailed and thrashed like any child told no. Ianto looked over at the box.

**Come here.**

The box moved.

Heath saw and he helped, the arm flying across the room behind the backs of those trying to comfort and control the temper tantruming little one who was suddenly stronger than they thought, his snarl one of revenge as he bit down on the guard who had come into his classroom and asked him to go to the principal's office with him, then had jammed the cloth of bad smells over his face.

No one saw the arm reach Ianto, connect, power up or reach out to calmly break the shackles holding him to the chair. Ianto rose from the chair with that unnatural grace he had, almost like a fucking Cyborg….errr….wait….. yes. Yes. Firing on all cylinders, reboot complete and upgrades in place.

Ianto let the sheet fall from his body, just the PJ bottoms and his bare feet. Didn't matter. He was a creature of renewal after all. He looked across the room at his chick, struggling in the hands of people who were not their friends and he opened his shields, let them all down. Every last one.

"This is for Mama" he whispered as he released his anger, Heath stopping the struggling as he felt it flow, joining with glee as his temper made Ianto's tenfold.

All they could do was scream as their brains now turned to mush. Fuzzily buffleing bamflobbery.

Ianto made them pay.

Heath felt so much love from his parental that he could only grin maniacally like Jack did when purchasing a new gun.

They flamed the fucking place.

Physic flames of course.


	10. Chapter 10

10

The SUV turned to corner to the compound, slamming though the gate house as it was easier than traversing the reinforced gates. Owen was in the jump seat, holding onto the suicide strap as Rhys in the back seat roared with deadly intent, opening fire out the side window at anyone and everything. Not really caring at this point.

They skidded to a halt outside the front doors, Jack first to disembark the low flying vessel to head for the steps then he slowed. Then he stopped, turning to look at Owen with confusion.

No one home?

"Toshi love, where is everyone?" Owen demanded down the coms as he looked over at Rhys. The big man behind him like a bodyguard more than a co-worker.

Since Ianto had woken, his cybertech had screamed to mainframe for assistance, the lovely large computer system not only telling them where he was but the quickest way to him like she knew they had little time. Sentient. Ianto had whispered it one night, she was sentient. Was a lovely old thing, was fond of him. She was pissed now, the data streaming through the VM that had woken with a vengeance on Jack's wrist full of information he could not possibly read as she was streaming so fast. Streaming mad you might say.

Ping.

Jack looked at the screen "This way. She has him through their internal system."

"Way to go Tosh" Owen smiled.

"Not me. Mainframe is going insane back here, lights flickering and computers booting up, shutting down, it's like some sort of tantrum." She replied with awe in her voice "Hurry. She's frantic."

Jack and the other two entered the front doors to the main foyer and the guard at the desk was slumped over convulsing as if a taser was in his back. Owen took a step towards him but then drew his hand back "Jack what's causing this? Ah… do we need to do a sweep? Is it safe?"

A woman ran towards them, she was shrieking as she staggered with one high heeled shoe on, the other missing as she slammed into the wall repeatedly, reaching for them but then running out of steam to slide down the wall leaving a bloody smear.

"What the hell is happening here" Owen hissed "This is fucking scary. What is it. Some airborne pathogen?"

Jack knew. "IANTO!"

He turned slowly as he listened for something in the bond. Anything, then he yelled again "HEATH! IANTO!"

He stopped, canting his head "Don't touch anyone. You will be OK if you don't touch them. It's only them getting punished, this way. They are three levels down."

"What do you mean punished?" Owen asked as they stepped into an elevator, the man slumped in the corner already dead and bleeping from ever orifice. He appeared to have shit himself as well.

"Ianto and Heath are using their gift. The power to control. This is what Ianto promised his mother he would never do. Never use his powers against others. They fucked up. They really fucked up. They must have threatened Heath, hurt them somehow. Ianto shouldn't have been this scared, something happened to make them both so scared that they had to stop everyone. They sent out a shockwave of anger and revenge. Everyone in the building copped it. I doubt any will survive" Jack said as the elevator dings and they stepped off, Jack turning in a slow circle as he whispered softly now "Where are you?"

He stopped, looking down a corridor, "This way."

The door was locked, one of those… who fucking cares. Jack swung the VM over it and it clicked open allowing them to step inside where Heath stood with the toy still in his hands, Ianto holding him against him with his hands soothing the child who was no longer crying but looking sullenly at the doorway.

"Daddy" he ran to him as Ianto looked at them, his relief raw as he saw Jack scoop up their chick and hold him, save him. Keep him safe. The Great Coat removed without a second thought to wrap the child like a baby and cradle him as he showered his face with kisses, crowing that he was a good boy.

"Ianto?" Owen said as he stopped in front of him "You OK?"

"They drigged me. Took me arm and frigged me. The drigs are not good. Nibbies are working to clear my system" Ianto slurred, Owen blinking slowly as he saw the damage.

"Right. Drigged. Drugged. Frigged also drigged. Nibbies are nanites?" Owen asked, then grinned "Nibbies. I like that. Sounds more fun. Come on mate, best get to you the back of the SUV for a little snooze. Let those Nibbies work, eh?"

Ianto snorted, amused as he heard his own words used and nodded not trusting the voice to work again. The cybertech and nanites still working hard on everything else. Owen led him gently as Jack placed his free arm around him, all of them walking from this house of the dead.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Heath love?"

"We punished them." Heath said in a small voice "Is it bad?"

"No" Jack said calmly as he lifted the child onto the running boards so their eyes would meet "They were bad. You punished them. Tadda said so, right? He is a Grup and he said they were bad. Grups know. You only helped. You are not a bad boy and it was not wrong to punish them. After all … I was going to kill them all anyway."

"Yeah?"

"They took my world. My moons and my stars. My sunsets and hot chocolate. I was going to blow the shit out of them!" Jack assured their chick as Ianto grunted in the back "I know. Swear Jar, sorry Taddy!"

Heath settled in Rhys' loving arms as his Dadda cuddled Tadda and Owen drove them out of this bad place and as they scrunched down the gravel to the road Heath looked back.

He initiated the self-destruct as Ianto sighed softly, agreeing that it was all toast now.

Daddy said so.

They could blow shit up, right?

The facility would implode in less than fifteen minutes and no one would ever know why.


	11. Chapter 11

11

"It was incredible" Tosh was gushing as she flittered around the sofa, too excited to sit still "Mainframe was doing things I could not even comprehend let alone keep up with. subroutines and infiltration treacheries that were…. Amazing!"

Ianto focused on her, the smell of coffee reviving him and as Jack placed the mug in his hand, guessing that it was not to his standard but he was trying, Ianto took a deep breath and looked up at Tosh to try and speak "Did she wipe?"

"Wipe?" Tosh stooped pacing to look at him then nodded absently "yeah. Yeah. She wiped everything, their system failed, crashed and burned. Literally. Last thing I saw in the CCTV was a clock counting down then it all went silent. Mainframe tells me there was some sort of self destruct button or something, the facility was designed to cave in on itself in case of a Cyber escape attempt ... all the concrete and steel folding down like a concertina, like … boom, boom, boom."

Tosh let her hands fall, then fall, then fall "Each floor falls on the one below, then the one below … you get the picture. Clever idea. Shame for those trapped inside though. Horrible way to die" she sighed.

"They were already dead Aunty Tosh" Heath assured her as he sipped his hot chocolate "ME and Tadda punished them. They would not have felt a thing."

Ianto nodded slowly then let his head fall back, exhausted.

Jack sighed then said "Well. This is a bit of a shit storm. I guess I better get in touch with someone over at UNIT and see if this was sanctioned or not. Also…"

"She knows" Heath said as he lifted the soft toy to inspect it. "They all know. Franny is angry she is screaming at the others. UNIT are experiencing technical difficulties right now. She is frying their servers. Also … Nanny Lizzie knows too. She's not happy and trying to ring you but Frannie is using all the phone lines to get more servers at once."

Jack stared then pulled out his cell phone and dialled. "Lizzie love?"

He listened as the queen ranted and raged. Jack knelt and gave the phone to Heath.

"Nanny Lizzie? Bad men came and they hurt Taddy and they hurt me and I made them hurt. They are gone now but Tadda wants me to tell you they were red hats. All red hats" Heath said and then singsonged softly "I love you, I love you, I love you. Know that is true."

Jack got the phone back "Lizzie, yeah. No, Ianto is still slightly shaken. They almost killed him. Yea… of you can get on it. Not out of my sight! Yah. Handsome devils we have eh? OK. You have a good night sweet pea" Jack ended the call and sat, taking Ianto's hand in his own "Hey. Long day."

"The roast isn't on"

"It's OK, I will get some dreaded pizza."

Ianto made a face, pizza not his favourite and Tosh joined in "What about some Chinese? Me and Owen can come over at shift's end? Rhys has the Hub tonight. He can have some delivered here and we will bring some back to yours. You go and have a sleep and then recharge, wake up and we will be thee with tea. Heath can set the table and we will eat together. Yeah?"

"I had a sister. She was called Rhia but I had to let her go" Ianto said as he sighed again "Nice to have one again."

"Oh sweetie" Tosh sighed, settling into the sofa to pull him against her, "It's OK. I am so glad you two are OK."

"Aunty?"

"Yes Heath love?"

"Will the baby be a boy or girl?" Heath asked as he looked at her large belly "Will it like me?"

"We don't know the sex" Owen said as he knelt by Heath "We wanted a surprise and we don't know if it will look like me or Tosh or someone else. It could look like its own self. All we know is it loves your singing and will love you. How could it not? You are going to be a wonderful cousin and friend. Singing and cuddles and such good times. You will protect and love, right?"

"Yes. I will protect" Heath said with an eager nod of his head "I will love and protect."

"And if needed, will maim and slaughter" Ianto said dryly, his voice clearer now, more steady as he finally started to wake up "Heath. What happened back there was horrible and scary but you did the right thing. We are designed to be righteous. We are Cuckoos, we are designed to fight and be just in our decisions. We did the right thing. We punished them and we stopped them from hurting u ever again."

"Yes. She was mad" Heath agreed "But we are not. We are righteous. I like that word."

"Me too" Ianto nodded "Let's go home."

"Yes, I want my doggies" Heath pouted "Russ will never believe me!"

Finally, Ianto smiled.

Jack relaxed a little as he saw the love in Ianto's face. The pain and confusion now gone as he became more self-aware. The nanites and Cybertech retreating back to the recesses once more.

Ianto was back online.

Rebooted and suited.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Lizzie had told them to take break, go and relax. She was 'cleaning house' and whatever is meant, it would be epic. No one wants their sweet little queen turning into a raging monster on them. Not this one.

She has the backbone of a mother.

They retreated to the cabin, Heath enthused as were his dogs but Ianto was too tired to care. Owen and Tosh promised to follow in a day or so knowing Jack wanted time with his little brood on his own, some cuddling needed for all of their sanities. It was all aired out and ready for them, a note left welcoming them back and reminding them that the truck in the garage was not working. Ianto had looked at it and considered as he tapped his finger on the bench top then he said "Maybe we need a new one."

"New what?" Jack asked as he struggled with his son's zipper, Heath patiently allowing Jack to paw at it even if he could probably fix it quicker. A loving stroke of his father's head as Jack muttered and tugged.

"Truck. If the old one has broken down again, maybe…"

"Classic!" Jack huffed, "I like that old truck. No, I can fix it."

Ianto saw a lot of grease and oil in the future, then shrugged as at least Jack would be happy under the hood of the damned ting and who knows, Heath might enjoy some 'man' time with matching cracks on display as they lean over to discuss the finer points of a combustible engine. Heath loved learning about everything, engines not something they had really delved into with him yet. Would need old clothes.

"Well … I have a list"

Two heads shot up, eyes wide and bright with glee as Heath slapped his father's hand away and zipped his jacket back up to show he was ready to go. Jack accepted the list and a kiss as he asked if Ianto was coming and Ianto told them to go, he would start some food so when they got back they could eat.

Of course he was going to unpack without them underfoot but they liked the idea of helping. Ianto saw them off as the SUV roared like an overexcited kitten down the street. Good.

Ianto sat and stared into space, the silence comforting now as he finally had the house to himself …well ..himself and a Red Setter that had decided to play dead instead of going to the village with her mental fur brother. No don't like the little guy leaning out the window howling like a siren all the way there as Heath laughed wildly. Tad didn't allow that. Dad always did without Tad in the car. As if Ianto would not know. Hmmm?

Soup?

Ianto rose and started some soup, knowing they would be a while as that bloody truck was going to get several things done to it whether it needed them or not, Jack in total mechanic mode. After consideration he also put some rolls in the oven on low so they would get crunchy. Heath loved those.

He also made some cheese on toast.

Jack loved those.

And made coffee.

Ianto loved that!

The SUV was soon crunching back around the house with the familiar howl that had Janet groaning softly in her bed to show her annoyance at her little brother, voices full of energy and glee as the two men in Ianto's life burst into the house and stopped at the smells, groceries forgotten still in the SUV. Of course.

Ianto suggested they unpack while he gets plates ready.

They ate with gusto, both talking through their food as Ianto bit his tongue. They agreed ya see. At home manners were employed but here it was a free zone of madness, naked wandering and food on the floor. Those rules … eating at the table, mouth closed, politely clearing mouth before speaking and definitely no feeding the dogs from your plate. Nope, here it was madness and they were all wild heathens.

Ianto found that he sort of liked it actually, the freedom to slide a crust to a little furry face.

The rabbits at the school were flourishing, Heath a natural and Ianto knew the little fella was angling for another pet somewhere along the line and Ianto was not quite sure what would fit with the dogs. It had to be sturdy, used to madness and loud noises, forgiving of accidental running over and generally a bit insane. Hmmmm. Yeah. That about summed it up.

"There is a fair this weekend" Heath suddenly said "We saw a flier"

"Yes!" Jack pointed his knife, a blob of raspberry jam flinging across the table as Ianto looked away lest he laugh or scold …maybe both and Jack continued "the village fete. We will be here, never been to one have you. Fun. I will give you some pocket money so you can get some stuff, maybe we remember Aunty Tosh is about to have a birthday and look for a gift? With the baby coming a lot of things are being got for it, maybe she would be touched if we found something just for her?"

Heath wriggled in his chair and Ianto placed a hand on Jack's arm leaning in for a kiss as he was reminded of how much he loved his mad man.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Heath was running, the scarf flying behind him with one tail hitting the ground every so often and two dogs were baying as they chased him. His laugher was faint on the breeze as Ianto watched from the back porch, letting the two men in his life play without a scolding about getting wet or muddy. It was a holiday after all.

Snow was coming soon along with a certain boy's birthday. Right now the autumn rain was turning the place into an adventure playground for messy buggers and they were revelling in it, thankfully sans Great Coat as Jack fell again, rolling in the middy leaves as Heath leapt on top and they slid down a small hill. A Daddy Toboggan apparently.

Ianto snorted and turned to go in, stopping as he saw someone approaching from the road. A flash BMW left on the verge. Oh. Bum. He knew it was rude but he really didn't want to be polite to anyone today. This was their vacation. He vaguely recognised the man. He was from the village and Ianto recalled his picture was on some flyers or a billboard on their way in. He let his mind check itself then come back with a For Sale sign. Ah. Local realtor.

"Hi there" the man said with fake excitement and Ianto smiled back wanly as he waved a hand in reply. The man came close enough to see Ianto's stature and slow, "Saw the smoke. You much be Harkness."

"I am Harkness-Jones" Ianto corrected calmly, annoyed with the brashness "That one out there with our son is too."

The man turned to look, then smile as he saw Heath now being flung around with Jack holding his arms, a perpetual whirlwind as he turned on the spot so fast he tripped and they fell into a screaming mess. Their laugher echoed, then Lucy looked up and her barking went from joy to alert as she raced to stand beside the one who she knew was truly her master.

"Beautiful dog" the man took a step back.

"Rainer. Rainer Trent right?" Ianto decided to get rid of him "We are not selling. Are happy here, have a good deal with nearby neighbours who care for the place. We are settled."

"Oh? Oh. Right. Only, this is a prime piece of realest…"

"My husband told you" Jack said, making the man jump as the handsome man came to stand next to Ianto, both of them tall and refined even if there were leaves stuck in Jack's hair … the status of someone who had a backbone was apparent "We are not interested in selling."

"Really?" Rainer screwed his face up "It's just … the house to your right has been on the market for just a few months and there has been interest, I hope to have an offer soon. The price is a good …."

Jack walked away. Simply turned and walked inside to call the dogs to the wet room for a bath. Ianto blinked then smiled. Not the only one sick of people then.

"I think he was clear on the fact we are settled. Ta anyway" Ianto said and the man nodded again, this time leaning around Ianto to look at the shiny SUV in the driveway. He looked at Ianto again

"Where did you say you worked?"

"Fish monger" Ianto replied "Jack is the fisherman. He catches them I cut them. Little Heath there is going to train to be the descaler. Will make things so much easier for me once he learns how to get those scales off for me."

The man stared.

Ianto smiled.

Lucy came back out and stood with her head around the doorframe making sure her man was OK. That other one was a weedy little twerp thing. Needed feeding or something. Maybe sickly. Lucy didn't like the fact he seemed to linger. She chuffed softly.

"Yes Luce" Ianto turned to her "I am just coming my sweet."

He turned back to the man who was staring at the dog and said "Excuse me. My dog wants me to come help bathe her. Jack never gets the shampoo to conditioner ratio right. Her hair is so delicate. She looks wonderful in the fishing boat though, the sea breeze on her. Majestic."

Ianto stepped inside and firmly closed the door, watching through the net curtains and the man stood for a moment, then stepped back to look up at the house, his hands on his hips before he wandered off.

"Local" Jack said, l over with the phone still in his hand "Tosh says he is relatively harmless but pushy. Some complaints about harassment and … really?"

Ianto turned as he put it on speaker. Tosh's voce rang out "apparently some complained of strong arming people to sell. An elderly couple said they were scared, noises at night and some definite signs of underhand thuggery. I think they are your neighbours, the elderly couple afraid. I would watch him. Break-ins with nothing really taken … that sort of thing. The unofficial word is that he has a younger bother and cousin who sneak about in the dark a lot … if ya get my drift."

"Well if he thinks he can startle us into selling he had another think coming" Ianto snorted "If those bloody rats didn't scare me out of here, two twats about to get a red setter attached to their balls isn't"

Jack pondered as he did not like this at all. He decided to go see the neighbour that had their house for sale, make sure they were confident in their decision to sell or being pushed.


	14. Chapter 14

Her elderly hands shook so Ianto reached out to catch the teapot, taking it gently as he rose "Shall I be mother?"

She settled next to her husband, his face showing signs of concern as he looked at the two men seated at his kitchen table. Then Heath wandered into the room with a cat in his arms, one of the old ones who hated people and hid from visitors. "Tadda, a kitty."

Ianto canted his head and smiled "Oh wow. A tortty. They don't like people much. Low tolerance for politeness."

"Is Uncle Owie a Tortty?"

Ianto blinked as Jack sniggered softly and said to the couple "One of our colleagues, Owen, is a sour little man. Heath loves him dearly but is still trying to understand his perpetual snark."

"Uncle Owie would be an old mangy beat up alley cat who sat on a rubbish bin surveying his little alley with pride, even if none of the others actually wanted it" Ianto whispered and Heath laughed, the musical one that made Jack's heart melt as Ianto stage whispered "And before you ask … no. We will not keep him. He is being as polite as he can right now and is waiting for release to furiously wash himself, reset his fur and stare angrily across the field back there for a while, the wind in his whiskers."

"Oh. OK Monty" the little one chimed, the cat being placed carefully down.

"How did you know he's called Monty?" the lady asked with surprise.

He looks like a Monty" Heath smiled sweetly at her "May I please have a bickie?"

"Oh, such manners" she sighed, lowering the plate for him to choose and she noted only one was chosen, a polite smile that looked so much like the thinner of the two men. Lovely. A little family next-door she hadn't even known about.

"So, we are selling" the man said firmly "moving closer to our kids."

"shame, looks like you've lived a long time here" Ianto looked around the room, finding faint notches on a door frame to the pantry, no doubt the children's heights measured each year. This lovely old house was their home, it was not fair they were being chased away by bloody thugs.

"Well, all things must change" the man said, then glanced at the larger one, seemed to be thinking with his eyebrows coming together then he finally spoke.

"Chuck, I think you and the gorgeous Connie here have no real desire to leave. That little twat real estate agent and these two thugs are forcing it. I think if they buggered off you could live the rest of your days here, like you really want."

"Arthur said you were a straight shooter" Chick snorted, the man who looked after their cabin when they were working was clearly a friend.

"Let's say I don't miss my marks" Jack confirmed, then pulled back his coat to reveal the Webley "And I don't suffer twats."

"Apart from Uncle Owie" a little voice said as Heath passed thought the room again, this time with a squirrel from the front yard.

"Heath my love, they don't go in houses. They like fresh air" Ianto warned as the elderly couple saw what the child had and froze with shock.

"OK, I love you, I love you I love you" Hath sang softly as he caressed the fuzzy tail and the squirrel looked over the child's shoulder at the humans and other sweet thing with wide eyes, chattering softly to the little sweet thing.

"I am sorry … he's a magnet" Ianto shrugged "personally, I seem to collect bills."

"He is a darling" Connie said as she watched out the window, the child placing the wild animal down and patting it's head as he spoke to it, then it scampered for the trees and the little boy waved happily.

"Sometimes" Ianto said cryptically and Jack snorted softly with mirth.

"He can't' help it if he has your intelligence and my stubbornness" Jack patted his beloved's hand "Now, now husband. Let the boy be."

Ianto smiled.

"Oh" Connie said softly, then blushed as her husband huffed softly, also amused now.

"I'll tell you what" Jack said as he looked away from the centre of the universe to address them "If anyone or anything comes your way… day or night… we live just over the way and can be here within minutes and I mean it when I say I do not miss. I am deadly serious, if you understand. If someone needs talking to, we will do so with a sternness that will be understood and you will be left alone."

"Do you think so?" Connie glanced at her love. "Could we try … Make a stand?"

"Well … they really chap my arse thinking we are feeble and easily pushed… I was all for fighting. They scared you talking about fire" he patted her hand "If you want to. We can stand."

"Fine" Ianto rose and clicked his tongue softly, then Heath appeared with flushed face and happy expression "So. What did you find?"

"A cow!"

"Dear lord" Jack frowned "NO! We leave it here too!"

The elderly couple looked at one another with a lightening of the room… and strengthening of their resolve.

One more try?


	15. Chapter 15

15

The phone call came two nights later, thankfully Team Torchwood there for the weekend with beds scattered everywhere and snoring bodies equally scattered. Jack reached for the phone as Ianto rolled to connect his arm, the sound on the end of the phone caught by his cyber implants and he was up and moving before Jack called softly that he was usually the exhibitionist, not Ianto.

Clothes.

Right.

Check.

Owen was awake and scratching his belly in the half light of the moon, wrapped around Toshiko and as Ianto stormed past in little more than a t-shirt and jeans he immediately rolled over Andy who had somehow clambered in the wrong side after getting out for a pee in the dark. Silly bugger must always sleep that side and Rhys was snoring up a storm, unaware that his man was moonlighting.

Owen covered the three in the bed, Andy grunting as he moved to cocoon Tosh between the two men and she sleepily looked up at Owen as he whispered that she should go back to sleep. He was just gonna take a look outside.

She snuggled back down without even considering what that might mean and Owen stropped outside with Jack to find the SUV there but no Ianto. "What the fuck?"

"He's running" Jack said as he strode for the SUV, "He's fast Owen. Damned fast on the trot, will get there before us. Come on."

Owen went to say something as he opened the door and froze as he stared at the set of eyes staring back, Heath in the back seat with the two red setters. Apparently the other dog wanted to stay home in the bed, on Rhys' side but these two dogs knew their place and were there, ready to fly.

"Jack?"

"He's not a little boy, he's a cuckoo" Jack barked as he belted himself in and started the engine, backing out without even looking in a mirror as he fiddled with the seat controls, Owen still trying to get seated "you forget. That little one there is not afraid of seeing death."

"Death … what the fuck … where are we going?" Owen asked with surprise.

"We are going to show some little bastards what a Big Bastard looks like, if Ianto doesn't get them first and they find out that he trumps us all." Jack barked, flying along the lane and he cursed as he swung into the driveway to find one down, writhing in pain as Ianto chased a second one right in front of them and Jack ground his teeth as he hit him square on, the man fling into bushes.

"Shit" Owen spat, then scrambled out to raise the gun he had pulled from the lock box Heath had opened for him … yeah. Little shit. Some safe box right?

Jack glanced over "Owen, got these two?"

"Yeah … if one makes a move I'll fucking shoot him. Will make it easier with just one left" Owen replied happily, excited to be up to no good as two men instantly froze.

Ianto was running along the side of the house, low and feral as he approached the one they really wanted. The Realtor who was at the back of the house with the elderly couple, unaware that his men had already fallen. Ianto came to a stop … like a dead stop for a run and it was amazing to see him almost look like he hit a wall.

The realtor had the old man by his collar, shaking him as he asked if he wanted to see the house burn. Ianto then saw the poor lady, on the ground. Connie looked like she had been struck as Chuck snarled into the realtor's face. "Fuck off boy!"

They had no idea did they.

Ianto reacted the moment he saw her hand to her cheek, her face covered in tears.

Ianto strode forward and seized the man's arm in his Cybernetic hand, squeezing as the man yelped and released Chuck, looking with shock as the sound of cracking told them all that the bones had snapped under the pressure.

Then he started to scream.

"Silence" Ianto said calmly and the scream was mute, the man's face twisting in agony as Ianto released him, standing over him to look down like he was a piece of dog shit on his shoe, the man's cries eerie to watch without sound.

Ianto glared at him as he crouched "Listen to me."

The man froze, his eyes wide.

"You will leave this place with your two friends. You will keep driving until you run out of gas, then you will walk. When your shoes are worn and you cannot walk anymore you will rest. You will never come back this way. You will keep going until you reach the sea. There you will find somewhere to live, work and be a good member of society. Do you understand me?" Ianto purred "you will forget this place exists. You never heard of this place, right?"

He nodded.

Ianto nodded too, then looked over as his son slid from the back seat to repeat the instructions to the two men who were gaping now as the little boy in Spiderman PJs commanded them.

Chuck cradled his wife as he watched the realtor start to crawl towards his car, too scared to stand.

"Oh yes" Ianto said as he turned back to him and the man immediately fell to his belly "You may speak again."

But the man chose to remain mute a bit longer as he crawled, soon the other two lifting him to hurry him to the car.

They would never been seen again.


	16. Chapter 16

16

It was school time. The decision to home school Heath had not been taken lightly and it was with some sorrow on his Taddy's part that the little chick found himself in the conference room with his lovely Aunty Tosh and a lot of diagrams and such, learning the finer points of geometry.

Ianto watched with a heavy heart. He had hoped Heath would embrace humans … make friends. He knew it was for the best, his little one not safe out there in general population and since they had been betrayed he didn't trust anymore. No with something so precious. No. Heath had not really made friends, it was clear he was not that sort of kid and the joy right now as he drank in the new information showed that he did not miss it one little bit.

Ianto sighed as he leaned his hip against the railing to look across the Hub at the little boy, now on his elbows as he looked intently at something Tosh was showing him on the tablet she had laid on the table, her face animated as she explained something with his eyes wide.

"Hey sexy."

Ianto turned his head to find Jack also leaning a hip … against his office door as he openly leered "Come around here often?"

Ianto smiled lovingly as he replied "Apparently I like the look of the place. Some eye-catching stuff."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, there is this dirty old letch but I manage to avoid him most of the….eeeeek" Ianto squealed as Jack lunged at him, tickling him in that one spot he knew he was ticklish….licking a person shows stuff OK? …. And Heath looked up through the large glass to see the two men wrestling, then kissing hungrily across the way.

"I want that!"

"What love?" Tosh asked, and then flowed his gaze. "Oh. Love."

"No. Yes that too … no. I mean … someone that is like me" Heath sighed "What if there is not another cuckoo?"

"Your Daddy is not a cuckoo love. Love is more important that being alike." she said gently as she rubbed his arm "I'm Japanese and Owen is…well …"

"A weirdo" Heath sighed as he nodded and Owen made a noise of annoyance in the doorway before realising the little creep would have seen him coming.

"Little bugger" Owen laughed as he huffed and tickled as well, both father and son squealing now.

.

.

.

.

.

"Does it bother you love?" Ianto sat with Heath as they had a snack, both taking the paper thin slices of apple to nibble from one tip down to the fingers like little chipmunks or something. Jack loved watching that. A strange quirk Ianto always amused him with and now their chick did it too.

Choose a slice, examine it like there might be a booger on it, then place a edge in your mouth and …nibble…nibble… little tiny bites as it is fed in like a conveyor belt, the last piece always flicked. So cute.

"No" Heath replied as he finished his own slice, manners "I don't miss it. I do miss the rabbits. I did like that but … no. They all smelt funny and did stupid things. I mean seriously, how can you run into a door frame? Can't you see it? Kids were always doing stupid things like that and they talked so fast, all stupid brained and small words. Never funny or intelligent things, stupid things like … I saw a bird. Really?"

Ianto snorted as he nodded "well, I didn't like it either. Not enough to do and too much time to do it in so I was always trying to fiddle with something."

"I like it here, I do" he assured his lovely Taddy "Aunty Tosh is clever, Uncle Owie lets me in on the autopsies, Uncle Andy lets me do some of the CCTV searches and even the websites looking for tat. Uncle Rhys lets me drive and ….ah….I mean…. Only in the car park area. When we wash the vehicles. I mean…."

"It' OK. I know he does, knew for a while. After all, you do move cars" Ianto laughed, the memory of the little one in his first power car still fresh "Well … we will talk to Daddy. One of the large warehouse spaces in the lower levels might b OK for a race track. Maybe a dirt bike? Uncle Owen can teach you how to ride a motorbike if you want, he does have one. Totally different to a car."

"REALLY?" Heath squealed and everyone in the Hub froze to glance up at the conference room as the child slid from his chair to run to the glass and bang on it, yelling for Owen.

Owen went running with alarm, something like that not a normal thing.

He entered the room panting "What? What's wrong little guy?"

"Taddy said I might learn a motorbike. You have one. Do you? Do you have a motor bike?" Heath said in a rush "Can we learn, can I have a bike?"

Owen looked at Ianto with surprise "you sure?"

"Yes. I used to ride one too. Loved the freedom and speed. A small child sized one in … Level 7 … I will clear out some boxes and make a track." Ianto agreed.

Two little men punching the air as Jack smiled up at his loves, turning back to talk to Andy about a blip.

Heath was going to love the speed.


	17. Chapter 17

17

Ianto was humming as he wandered along the rows of 'guests' stopping every now and then to place down food, water or a small mouse… don't ask. He got to one enclosure and stopped, the usually feral and angry creature silent, still curled up as if asleep. Just a big dark blue blob in the corner of the cell.

Damn.

Owen had been worried about tins one, commenting at tea last night that she hadn't eaten all day and refused his offer of a delicacy to their kind as a treat. Ianto sighed and tapped the glass. Nothing. He waited and considered, then touched his coms, "Owen? The Dargel. It's not moving or responding to sound stimuli. I think I need to go in and check."

"On my way" Owen grunted, throwing whatever he was working on down on the table and Ianto could hear the metallic clunks. Nothing important then, probably bored out of his skull. As he waited, he taped a few more times, and then tried a whistle. Still nothing. He had a bad feeling about this, these things were notorious for curling up their toes for no given reason. In the past four years they had lost three. A four for four would be a terrible track record. Ianto ws all about the stats ya know … not to mention he kinda liked these freaky monsters with their three rows of teeth like land sharks.

"Was cold last night" Owen said as he entered "I had the heating adjusted to rise in the night according to the water temps. We did think its how we lost the first one, remember?"

The wall backing this row of cages was below the water line as was much of the base. The cold and seeping water always made things damp down here and Ianto had long since lamented this, all the bloody alien tech yet they get not one single thing that can make this place water tight?

"I'll go in" Ianto said after pondering, "In case she's playing possum like three did that time. We both know how strong their bite radius is, Jack was well pissed off at losing his toe."

"Agreed" Owen stood at the doorway with his stun gun out then nodded, Ianto touching the lock and letting the glass slide out, and then he stepped in, Owen entering to guard the doorway now as he also let the door open in case Ianto had to make a hasty exit. They had learned this method with other things and knew this little devil dog moved fast.

Ianto crouched and reached out, tapping it's hide then withdrawing.

Nothing.

He placed his hand on it as Owen took a sharp intake of breath to show his alarm. He looked over at Owen "Cool. Owen it's cool to the touch. Shit, I am not detecting anything. I think she's carked it."

"Shit" Owen let the stun gun drop to his side as he crouched with Ianto to look at the creature and he agreed "Yeah… she's dead."

"Bugger. We were hoping for a short jumping freighter to come past in another month" Ianto went to lift the body "Well, Ferdinand needs to be fed I guess."

"You know… that thing you do, naming everything is creepy. Can't you just say furnace?" Owen grumbled as he reached out to help then yelped, pulling his hand back as something bit it.

"Oh wow… she has a marsupial pocket" Ianto whispered, crouching to open a small slit under her foreleg that that they hadn't noticed. In the pit. After a few moments a tiny face appeared, teeth gnashing.

"Awwwwwww" Owen said with glee "A baby monster!"

"With sharp teeth" Ianto sighed, then looked up as Heath appeared, flushed and panting as he pushed Owen aside, the man landing back on his butt with a yelp. Someone had been watching on the CCTV while Aunty Tosh was on her hourly bathroom break?

Heath reached out and snatched up the little thing that looked like a dark blue rat without ears or whiskers, a set of horns instead. Heath turned to look at Ianto in a silent beg that Ianto could only nod to then watch the child fly out of the area screaming with glee.

"Did you just give the Chick a monster capable of eating people?" Owen asked with wonder.

"Only when fully grown" Ianto said in a sulky voice and Owen blinked, then started to laugh as Ianto helped him up and they looked again at the mother.

"I'm getting the hover board for that, she's rank!" Owen huffed, stomping off to hide his sorrow as he usually did so Ianto went up to make some coffee to sooth the acidic man as he usually did.

Heath ws in Jack's lap, cuddling the baby as he spoke rapidly, asking questions, needing things and gushing about his baby. Jack was on a phone call and unable to defend himself, he could only just keep nodding to the child as someone on the other end droned on. Then Heat slid off and went to find Andy.

Soon another yelp was heard, Heath's laugher as well as Rhys' ... then a deeper yelp.

They gotta learn not to hold their finger out.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Ianto knew this was virtually a done deal and he leaned back against the desk to watch Jack as their son sat on the sofa of the office cooing happily at the thing. Jack had long since abandoned any pretence of going through files and was leaning back in his chair staring at his son, and then he sighed.

"I might know someone who knows a few things about those, did a paper on them" Jack finally said and Ianto turned his head to look at him, the smile blinding. God, he's handsome.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I need to make a call, see if he's free and if his mom will let us come around. I made a promise … no Torchwood." Jack said as he rose and picked up with cell phone, then kissed Ianto's cheek and headed out of the room, no doubt going to the roof.

"His mom?" Heath asked, listening in as per usual.

"Hey Chickie, you know as much as I do. Daddy has his secrets ya know" Ianto shrugged "Come on. We will need to find it a crate or something so when we are busy it's not terrorising Uncle Owie. Well…. Actually I think it has a taste for poor Uncle Rhys that way it seized his finger."

"I know" Heath said with glee "He's fierce, right?"

"Oh yes my love." Ianto smiled as he let his hand rest on his son's head, then they went to search the 'capture and control' room until they found what looked like a giant bird cage, almost the same height as Heath and as wide each way with a door large enough for him to fit through as well as his prize.

"We will build him a nest, put down a water…no. Wait… they don't like that. Maybe… see these water things like the rabbits?" Ianto frowned as Heath nodded, knowing all about those from the school rabbits. Ianto placed it in the corner of Jack's office knowing he would not be best pleased about that but also knowing Heath would not want it anywhere else. Their quarters downstairs too far for him to constantly check the thing while doing school work and such.

By the time they had it set up with Heath sitting in the cage stroking the sleeping thing Jack was back "Right. Did you get a travel case for it too?"

"Yes" Ianto pointed at a cat carrier "It will hold it for now, not so much in a few months I think."

"Yeah… don't know how fast they grow. Something we will have to ask him, come on son. Come meet a fellow child genus. He might give you a run for your money!" Jack motioned with his hand and Heath clambered out, looking at his father with interest.

"Another? Another CB?"

"CB….oh. Right. Clever, you abbreviated it. No. No, he's another sort of alien love" Jack said gently and Ianto was now doubly interested. What other secrets did this man have?

They drove sedately through to London to a quaint area with some 'mama and papa' style shops, a playground … then he stopped at a nondescript two story place and Jack turned to face Heath "Now… be polite, OK? This is an old friend of the Doctor's. She was a companion like me only … I think he liked her. Yeah?"

"He likes you too" Heath assured him with glee, sliding to the door so Tadda could get them both out, the thing in his arms instead of the mean old carrier it didn't like the smell of. Ianto saw and gave his son a look, then lifted them both to their feet beside him, while Jack skipped ahead with that glee he has when he knows where he is heading and they followed him to the front door where he confidently knocked.

"There is a bell" Heath said calmly "Maybe ring that instead of bashing the door in?"

"She would not know it was him then" Ianto whispered and the little boy snorted with mirth.

The door swung open and Sarah Jane looked at Jack with a mixture of delight and concern, then looked at the little boy behind him with his arms cradling a bundle. "Well then, you must be Heath."

"And you are Sarah Jane" Heath smiled "Taddy told me that you have brains."

She laughed as she motioned them inside and as Ianto went to pass her he looked at her with a familiar smile "Hey SJ."

"Hello little chick" she said softly "I thought… I thought you fell in the tower."

"No. I ran" he sighed, then looked at the two members of his family leaving them behind as they entered another room. "I would still be running if not for him."

"He is a lovely boy" he smiled.

"Yes… him too" Ianto turned back to look at her "I meant Jack."

The Heath squealed with delight, matched by another young voice and Ianto sighed.

"Come on dear" SJ said, "Let's so see what Luke thinks of all of this."


	19. Chapter 19

19

Tosh went into labour early in the morning, so early everyone was asleep. Ianto woke to the frantic message on the cell phone telling him it was on. "It's on like Donkey Kong Tea Boy!"

He stared at it, and then rang Owen to find she was already done. Despite his offer to come and stand by their side… nope. Toshiko did it her way, quietly without much fuss and a determined snarl.

"Like a bloody trooper, just pushed fifteen times or more and there he was. Perfect!" Owen was gushing "A boy. Yeah, I have a son. By god, he will be more loved than I was!"

"Just remember Owen .. It's not about how loved you once were… or lack thereof … you are loved now. Very much" Ianto said softly "And it's fantastic! Give her my love."

"She's resting now, Andy and Rhys have the Hub so… this avo she will want to show ya" Owen said happily and Jack leaned over to watch Ianto shine with delight, the bond humming as he let Jack know.

"NO!" Jack gasped "She's had the baby?"

Ianto ended the call and smiled happily "A boy. He didn't say a name, probably wants to do the reveal while we are gushing over the little mite."

"Hope it takes after her" Jack said as he flopped back in the bed. "A little butterfly, dainty and sweet."

"No … I hope it's both of them in there, Owen has a lovely sense of humour that he hides behind sarcasm." Ianto defended his friend and then laughed "But I do hope it's Toshiko's eyes. Owen's always look shifty."

"Because… he is shifty" Jack poked at him and Ianto lay back to meet Jack, their kiss long and gentle. Finally Jack sighed and whispered "Come on. Heath is gonna explode if he doesn't get breakfast. We can go to see them soon."

"Too early, distract him will you?" Ianto begged and Jack grimaced, then nodded.

They wound up taking Heath to the Hub where he looked in on his baby and then went down to the room that was being turned into a race track, complete with four wheeler motorbikes that Jack assured Ianto could not go over fifteen Ks an hour. Ianto didn't remind Jack their Chick would soon work out the retard switch and bypass it. No retard there… a speed demon. He figured it would be more entertaining when Jack realised he had released a monster.

Ianto settled to watch the two men in his life play, the noise drifting around him as he went over the conversation he had with SJ in the Kitchen the day before while the boys were playing with the big Great Coat wearing one in Luke's room.

"I spent ages asking myself if it was cruel to bring him here. If I was selfish to want him as mine knowing there was such a universe out there" she had sighed looking out the window at the back yard "The Doctor would have taken him, found somewhere for him but… I wanted him."

"Jack tried" Ianto replied as he considered "It almost broke us. He didn't understand that this one was mine and tried to find transport for him, ship him off with strangers, not even the Doctor. I felt betrayed. I ran. He came after me and finally saw that this was not some pet project… some stubborn streak. It was kismet or whatever. I was supposed to find this chick, if only to renew myself and be whole again. Does that make sense?"

"Yes darling boy…it does" she smiled and Ianto had turned as Heath had squealed with glee at something.

"Taddy?"

Ianto drew his thoughts back to the present, his son in front of him with his head canted "What was that?"

"Hmmm?"

"That feeling… what was it?"

Ianto smiled "Satisfaction. You give me that, I feel that you are the best thing in the worlds and I am lucky you are mine. You make me feel real. Whole."

"Whole?"

"Better."

"Ah. Like Daddy's Great Coat makes him feel super?"

"Yes, and a little bit sexy" Ianto winked as his son giggled and Jack leered from the tyre he was checking beside them.

"Yeah? Rear of the Year three years in a row ya know" he said as he wriggled said bum at Ianto.

"Oh behave!"

"Never!"

Ianto laughed as he found that the perfect answer.

behaving sounds so … vanilla.


	20. Chapter 20

20

"An artificial human, the Archetype was the creation of the Bane. He had the physical form of a teenager upon his creation, despite his actual age being much younger. On the day of his "birth" he met Maria Jackson, from whom he also began to learn how to speak. He helped defeat the invasion plan of his creators. He was named "Luke Smith" after being adopted by Sarah Jane Smith." Jack explained calmly as the team listened intently, Ianto downstairs with the child in question and his mother, Heath showing them his pet "Luke was initially very naive, not even knowing how to lie. However, he more than made up for this with an excellent memory that helped his mother during their adventures"

"The Bane" Owen repeated "Wait … wasn't that the Pop Drink Scandal?"

"They said hallucinogens were in the water … huh … UNIT didn't cover that up so well. I found their files as well as some storage places still full of the stuff" Toshiko snorted. "Amateurs."

"The Bane's invasion of Earth depended on getting as many people as possible under their control. Their strategy was to use a Bane secretion as an ingredient in the drink Bubble Shock!, but approximately 2% of the human population was immune to the effect." Jack started talking again as Rhys leaned forward, vaguely remembering something about this now, he motioned for Jack to continue "In order to get the last remaining 2% to accept Bubble Shock!'s "special ingredient", they created the Archetype from thousands of samples of various entrants to the Bubble Shock! tour, including Maria Jackson and Kelsey Hooper. However, when Kelsey inadvertently set off an alarm by using her mobile phone, the ensuing events caused the Archetype to awaken and escape. He joined Maria and Sarah Jane, instantly befriending them. Maria was the first person he ever met and spoke to, causing him to develop a strong attachment to her, similar to that of a baby and its mother. Later, he effortlessly memorised the signal to "call" the Bane with the Star Poet's phone, which destroyed the Bane Mother along with the Bubble Shock! factory."

"I remember now … tasted like bubblegum" Rhys nodded "so… this... Archetype ... that's him?"

"Yes, Sarah Jane Smith adopted him and gave up her travelling with the Doctor to raise him" Jack smiled "Clever sausage."

"Wait… I took that tour" Owen frowned.

"Me too Andy agreed, then Rhys put his hand up followed by Toshiko. Finally Jack did too, grinning as he let them have a moment to process the implications.

"Sooooo… he might have our DNA in him?" Andy finally asked the question.

"Each interaction would strengthen him, yes. Imagine … someone working there, being the tour guide for weeks…a few months even, taking people through maybe ten, fifteen times a day. Imagine how much DNA he would be leaving in there each time." Jack said, looking down as Ianto started to laugh, followed by Luke and Heath.

Musical.

"No!" Owen gaped "Really?"

"I doubt SJ will let you, but if you did ever get a DNA sample I bet Ianto would show alright. More than any of us that's for sure. It was a summer job for him while working part time at T1" Jack snorted as he smiled down and waved "That man knows more than he lets on and I can tell you now … he already knew her. No surprise, only interest. I think he's watched Luke from the sidelines, fully aware from Yvonne's reports he filed back in the day that this young man is special. Now the two meet… Heath is smitten."

"Well … he's harmless right?"

"Doesn't have powers or anything if that's what you are trying not to ask out loud, no. Clever. Has the intelligence of someone even Einstein would have argued with happily. No. But there are other things, bits not human as well. The Alien population here hiding in plain sight wandered through the tour as well … he is truly a spec and a spat of all of us."

"Well … Heath likes him. He's gotta be OK" Rhys said firmly, rising "I gotta wash that SUV, the mud is starting to harden while we sit here and I know if Ianto sees the start it's in he'll have a cow."

"Well, I am going back to bed" Toshiko smiled "Ianto is waiting to tuck me in and fuss on Dexter."

Jack smiled, still confused as to why Ianto sniggered at the name while Owen mimes stabbing motions behind her back. It was a lovely name and she had taken a lot of time and thought to choose it. Jack was touched that the middle name was Ianto. Dexter Ianto Sato-Harper. Something that had Heath sniggering to himself until Jack realised the initials spelt DISH. Still … Dexter was nice. Dex. He liked that. Sort of close to the Jax he used to be called at the academy.

.

.

.

It is of Latin and Old English origin, and the meaning of Dexter is "right-handed, fortunate; woman who dyes". Originally from Greek _dexi_ meaning "worship", which was transferred to "using the right hand", hence "dexi hand". Also in modern English to be 'Gift from God"

Of course the TV Show Dexter about the serial killer Dexter Morgan is what amuses the boys. Also, the reference to the right hand is amusing given the fact Ianto has a left cyber limb. LOL 


End file.
